[opendtv] Re: Spectrum Management
- From: Craig Birkmaier <brewmastercraig@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2017 06:39:35 -0400
On Aug 10, 2017, at 10:02 PM, Manfredi, Albert E <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
"The DON [Department of the Navy] is responsible for granting frequency
allocation for equipment and coordinating its use both in the U.S. and in
foreign countries. This involves obtaining frequency certifications and
assignments from the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration for operations in the U.S., and coordinating with host nations
through the Joint Staff Military Communications Electronics Board for
operations outside of the U.S. The DON CIO's role is to ensure compliance
with the DoD spectrum policies, and develop the DON policy and strategic
planning for spectrum use."
So an agency that is part of the Commerce Department manages all of the
spectrum allocated to the military and government agencies. And each of these
allocations is managed by the departments that are assigned this spectrum,
including decisions about the technology used.
Right?
So why would it be inappropriate for the NTIA to just take over the minimal
role the government should play in Spectrum management?
Or more to the point, why are government agencies more capable of making
decisions about their spectrum use than private concerns that use the public
spectrum?
And what is different about the way THIS spectrum is managed
compared to allowing private sector firms to manage the spectrum
they use?
???
Figures
As usual you are clueless. The reality is that private firms are perfectly
capable of managing their own spectrum, and many government agencies are not.
One need only look at the debacle during 911 when public agencies had a
communications crisis because their systems were outdated and incapable of
handling the demand. And now, almost two decades later, the situation is still
a mess, and the new chunk of spectrum that was sent aside for public emergency
services is still sitting idle.
But the public servants who need reliable communications have moved on. Most
police agencies now have two communications systems: the "official" but
outdated systems in the government spectrum, and the unofficial cell phones
that almost every cop uses to communicate with their peers.
"Most of us have vaguely heard a few bits and pieces about the NTIA, but have
no real idea what it is, or what it does. In reality, most radio amateurs
have no official interaction with the NTIA, but many of us have dealings with
the NTIA in our professional careers.
I worked with the NTIA in the early '90s when we working with the FCC on the
DTV standard. I can assure you that the agency exists and does its job.
It is not surprising that radio amateurs do not interact with the NTIA, as they
are private users of the spectrum.
Just for grins, look at the plan put forward by the Obama administration to
free up 500 MHz of spectrum assigned to government agencies in 2008 or 2009.
How much has been recovered?
The NTIA is the federal equivalent of the FCC with authority over federal
radio communications while the FCC is concerned with nonfederal
communications."
DUH.
But one agency is highly political, with shifting agendas depending on the
party of the president in power. The other is run by career and political
employees who in theory do not have political agendas.
The important takeaway here is that spectrum users are perfectly capable of
managing their use of assigned spectrum, as we have seen with the success of
the cellular industry. But when spectrum is a political football - as is the
case for radio and TV broadcasters, the special interests rule the day...
I guess there is more money involved in lobbying the FCC and Congress than some
government employees at Commerce.
Regards
Craig
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